José I. Mendez
| continuity = Star Trek | image = | type = | race = | gender = | base of operations = Starbase 11 | known relatives = | status = | born = | died = | 1st appearance = "The Menagerie (Part 1)" | actor = Malachi Throne }} was a minor character featured in the Star Trek mythos. Played by actor Malachi Throne, he appeared in the sixteenth episode of season one of the original Star Trek television series, "The Menagerie (Part 1)". He also made an appearance in "The Menagerie (Part 2)". Biography José I. Mendez was a Starfleet officer holding the rank of Commodore. He was stationed out of Starbase 11. In the year 2267, Commodore Mendez became the caretaker of Fleet Captain Christopher Pike, who had been crippled in an accident after being exposed to Delta radiation. The crew of the [[USS Enterprise NCC-1701|USS Enterprise NCC-1701]] came to Starbase 11 under the belief that they were instructed by Starfleet to divert their course there. Mendez told Captain Kirk that he had issued no such order and could not understand where the orders could have come from. Kirk began to suspect that Captain Pike might have somehow issued the order, but Mendez assured him Pike was incapable of giving such a command or even asking another officer to issue is on his behalf. The truth of the matter was that an alien race known as the Talosians had telepathically communicated with Kirk's Science Officer Mister Spock and convinced him that bringing Captain Pike to Talos IV was the only way that he could possibly endure his horrific condition. The Talosian ability to create elaborate illusions, would enable Pike to exist in a virtual reality where he was strong and healthy again. However,Starfleet General Order 7 prohibited all travel to Talos IV under penalty of death. Loyal to both his current and previous Captains however, Spock committed treason, staging the false Starfleet orders that brought them to Starbase 11 so he could smuggle Captain Pike aboard the Enterprise. When Spock seized control of the Enterprise and embarked upon a course to the Talos Star Group, Captain Kirk commandeered the Shuttlecraft Picasso SB11-1201/1 and followed suit. It was at this point that the Talosians intervened. They created the illusion that Commodore Mendez had accompanied Kirk on the shuttle while the real Mendez remained on Starbase 11. The shuttle eventually caught up to the Enterprise and Spock surrendered himself, relinquishing control of the bridge back to Captain Kirk. A tribunal was held to try Spock for treason, which required three command officers. The trial judges consisted of Captain Kirk, Captain Pike and the fabricated Commodore Mendez. The Talosians allowed the trial to commence so that they could project images of Captain Pike's first mission to Talos IV to the tribunal in the hopes that they would understand and sympathize both with Captain Pike's plight and Spock's treasonous actions. When the trial ended, the illusion of Commodore Mendez disappeared. The Talosians sent a broadcast of the events to the real Commodore Mendez back at Starbase 11. After reviewing the footage, he temporarily suspended General Order 7 for this one occasion and Spock was cleared of all charges. Captain Pike was taken to Talos IV to live out the rest of his days in peace. Star Trek: The Menagerie (Part 1)Star Trek: The Menagerie (Part 2) Notes & Trivia * The character of was created by Gene Roddenberry and Marc Daniels. * The real Commodore Mendez only appeared in "The Menagerie (Part 1)". The version of Mendez seen in dress uniform in "The Menagerie (Part 2)" is an illusion created by the Talosians. * Mendez' adjutant was a woman named Miss Piper. * Actor Malachi Throne also provided the voice for one of the Talosians in the original pilot episode "The Cage". Archive footage of "The Cage" was incorporated into both parts of "The Menagerie". * also made appearances in several Star Trek related novels and comic books. He appeared in Star Trek: Section 31: Cloak, Star Trek: Bloodthirst and Star Trek: Garth of Izar. He also appeared in the one-shot comic book issue Star Trek Alien Spotlight: Orions. See also External Links * * at Memory Beta * at Memory Alpha References ---- Category:Starfleet Admirals Category:Starfleet Commodores Category:Starfleet personnel Category:Secondary characters Category:Malachi Throne